


Right One, Wrong Number

by Teddy_Feathers



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Dadster, F/M, Goopy W. D. Gaster, Scientist W. D. Gaster, wrong number song
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-01
Updated: 2016-11-01
Packaged: 2018-08-28 09:15:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8439967
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Teddy_Feathers/pseuds/Teddy_Feathers
Summary: Just an idea brought to you by the wrong number song.





	

**Author's Note:**

> No I didn't need another idea. Yes I'm still working on the others. I'm just kinda a mess and haven't been writing at all. So at least something's happening now.

It’s the middle of the night - why is the phone ringing?

Oh.

Right.

Election season.

You manage to catch the phone on its third ring. "Yellow?" Your voice is slurred due to sleep but clear enough.

Instead of the automated ‘did you know this terrible thing about candidate a, vote candidate b!’ there was the quiet static of a bad connection followed by a garbled voice "Yellow?"

It was hard to tell if it was just an echo of your voice or an actual response but it had almost sounded like a question.

"Yellow, blue, green, orange, purple, teal, and magenta." you dragged a hand across your face. If it was important it’d be rude to hang up and if it wasn’t... Well you’d already answered the phone.

There came crackle of static followed by that distant tunnel voice. "Red. Orange. Yellow. Green. Blue. Indigo. Violet."

"True. The visible spectrum as expressed in the rainbow is lovely but have you considered non visible light?" Why were you still talking? Sitting up you headed down to the kitchen to make some tea. Might as well, you were already up.

This time there was no hesitation. Around the feedback noise you were getting came the echoy voice. "Infrared. Ultra violet. Radio waves. X-rays. Microwaves. Gamma rays."

"Mmm. Well then. Have you considered the absence of light?" Honestly this wasn’t much different than exchanging shitposts with folks online.

The phone squealed and you dropped it in shock. Well apparently they didn’t like that answer.

The sound died out to random pops and clicks.

Carefully you picked the phone up, checking if for damages before raising it to your ear. "Um hello?"

"Why?" the word was almost indistinguishable from the background hiss of feedback.

"Uh. Why not? It seemed like the natural progression. We could do animals next if you prefer." Not that you necessarily wanted the conversation to continue. But as far as wrong numbers go this conversation was better than the ones calling to say their electricity was out... And then continuing to call back because being one number off was hard for some people to understand.

Besides. You’d had your fair share of late nights rambling into the void, maybe they just needed someone to talk with.

Pouring yourself the water you waited for the tea to seep. The occasional crackle telling you the other party was still on the line.

Finally, a little clearer than before they spoke again. "Humans."

You snorted. "Pfft, ain’t that the truth. We think were sooooo different but when it comes down to it..."

Soft crackling followed by "Tired" this was clear enough to hear the world weariness in their voice.

"Alright, well get some rest. And if you ever need someone to push back the night with feel free to call again. Never know, maybe getting the wrong number is just a sign."

The line cleared so much so that it seemed the line had gone dead, but then a soft exhausted voice said "Thank you." He sounded odd, foreign accent maybe? The line buzzed dead and you pondered, taking a sip of your tea.

Maybe he was trying to call someone important state side. Hope his random conversation with a stranger didn’t cost too much. Also explained why he was calling now.

Mystery of the wrong number call solved, you went back to bed.

* * *

 

By the next phone call, you've all but forgotten the fist. So much has happened lately. Monster integration was finally taking off, finals were over, and now came a break for the holiday season - which you tried skillfully to navigate your way out of doing anything or being invited anywhere. Too much stress and expectation.

So when you answered you were actually relieved to hear static on the other end of the line. "Huh. Happy Holidays then."

Before you could hang up there was a garbled response. "Merry Christmas."

"Oh it’s you again! Ain’t this a bit costly to be speaking with someone you don’t know? Not that I mind!" 

There was some weight to the static, a considering pause maybe. "Tis the season."

Letting out a heavy sigh you responded. "I suppose it is."

"Scrooge?" Apparently he had caught your less than enthusiastic mood.

"Not quite. Just not big on family reunions. A lot of guilt goes into those gatherings and I'd rather focus on the good things. What about you? Got any plans?"

Indistinct under the crackling but you could make out "Sons. New year."

"Oooo sounds fun. Going out to see fireworks?"

The static eased back up some. "Should be started with a bang."

You grinned into the receiver, feeling a little more upbeat. "Yeah heard it’s going to be extra special all over since the monsters have never seen anything like it."

Reception was still terrible though. "Worried. Been gone a long time."

"Hey you know what they say - absence makes the heart grow fonder. I mean... Even if they are mad you can only control you right? So you do your best to start the year off right like you plan, and then keep it going from there.  I’m sure it’ll be fine."

The static died down some. "Surprisingly friendly."

"Eh. Like you said 'tis the season." Would it be safe to move?

"And before?" The line _did_ seem to clear some as you headed into the kitchen.

"What? I'm not allowed to make friends with wrong number people?"

"Could get hurt."  Almost…

"So could you. For all YOU know I'm the big baddy lulling you into a false sense of security."

"I do not think that is the case."  Yes. That came through perfectly! He sounded amused, and his accent was clear as day though not something you recognized...

"Thanks for the vote of confidence. You seem pretty nice yourself."

Suddenly the line started to snap and pop again. Maybe the disturbance was on his side after all. "Must. Go."

"Alrighty. Ttfn and all that jazz."

Surprisingly you felt a bit cheerier after your mystery caller.

* * *

 

New Year’s.  

You’d bought some pie, some sparkling grape juice, and was having a nice night in. On the screen people counted down as the ball got ready to drop, though you still had about two hours to go for your time zone.

The phone rang but instead of the screams or happy new-year you were expecting, there was a wet bubbling sound. Looking at the handset you saw black goop slowly seeping through the speakers.

You dropped the phone.

What in the world?

The puddle of sludge was growing fast but as you turned to go get some towels, a vice like grip grabbed your ankle sending you hurtling towards the floor.

You caught yourself with your hands and looked back to see a tendril had extended itself to tie around you. Flipping over you tried to push it off of you, and surprisingly it gave easily allowing you to scramble backwards until you hit the wall.

The puddle grew larger and gained substance until it almost looked like a breathing glob of something.

Something bubbled up from its depths something white and  a cracked skull grinned over at you.

Oh god it was going to eat you, it was the black blob and nothing would be left but your skeleton, and you’d be inside it, would you suffocate or drown or be digested first?

The skull moved, expression turning haunted.

"Help me."

"How?" The word was out of your mouth before you consciously registered the question but whatever was happening was awful and you’d like to help if only to get it to stop.

"Yellow. Blue. Green. Red. Light blue. Purple. Orange."

Its voice was strained but you recognized the colors. Monsters had been out of their imprisonment for only a couple of months, but the fact that humans had tangible souls that reflected their key trait was everywhere.

It was listing soul colors.

Humans without magical aptitude couldn’t summon their souls or any other. Through your work you’d already been tested and found to lack this aptitude.

But monsters could.

Was this thing a monster? But souls were only brought out during a confrontation. Cards on the table sort of deal.

So what... What did it want with a soul?

A white boney hand reached out of the mess towards you. "Please."

Your mind trying to puzzle out everything just stopped. It needed help. It was begging. If it ate you and used your life force in pursuit of evil well that was on it not you... Because of course you were going to help it.

Carefully you crawled forward and took its hand.

It didn’t immediately suck you into the goop so you looked at the skull and said "I'm trusting you." Slowly you pulled the hand over your chest.

There were two frantic beats of your heart and then - there it was. Your soul. Shining brightly in the shape of a heart.

Purple. You’d known for a while - the same tests for magic aptitude told you your soul trait, but it was still fascinating to see.

And so vulnerable.

The skull grimaced. "This will sting." The hand that had pulled it from your chest closed in slowly around yours soul.

You passed out.

* * *

 

The phone ringing woke you in the morning. You reached over and answered it without opening your eyes. Your head was killing you and you were sore as hell, what had you done last night?

"Yellow."

"May I speak to gah- whoops wrong number." The wrong number song did NOT help your aching head.

The phone rang again and you picked up a bit slower this time.

"Yellow?"

"Noooo I told you silly I'm light blue!" It was your youngest cousin, Stacy.

"Ooooo that’s right. Getting ready for magic school my little witch?" Why the school system had decided to have classes resume the day after everyone either stayed up all night or drank too much or both was beyond you, but Stacy was always psyched for school - even before she found out she had an aptitude for magic.

"No." You could hear the pout in her voice. "They say schools canceled today because something BIG is happening and they need Ms. Toriel for it."

"Something BIG huh?" Why would taking away the principle mean classes were canceled? Maybe it was a bomb threat and they didn’t want to scare the kids?

"Yeah. Didn’t you _feel_ it?" The way she stressed the word told you it was important but you honestly had no clue what she was talking about.

"Did it feel like a train wreck?" That’d be nice, everyone feeling miserable instead of just you.

"Nooo it felt... It felt magical." Oh. That sort of thing.

"Sweety you know I don't have magic."

She pressed on, unconcerned with mere details like any eight year old. "It felt like coming home. Even Linda felt it and she doesn't have any magic." You had a strong feeling Stacy’s friend Linda was just hoping magic would rub off on her one day. "And it tasted like plums."

 _That_ was that flavor in your mouth! When was the last time you had a plum? You were suddenly craving them. "Weird I could really go for some plums right now."

"Hehe that’s what everyone is saying! Hey dad says I have to get off the phone now."

"Okay sweety. But remember out deal?" If _anyone_ messed with her you were snatching her up faster than anyone could say adopted.

"...yeah. It’s okay though." It didn’t sound like anything was wrong, but you had brought the mood down.

"Pinky promise?" You questioned in your most serious and adult voice.

Enthusiastically she gave the singsong response. "Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."

"Love you."

"Love you too."

 

Blessed quiet.

But you were awake now.

And had a real strong urge for plums.

With a groan you pulled your aching body out of bed. What _did_ you do last night? Kill a bottle of wine?

Rubbing your aching head you walked into the kitchen only to stop and stare.

 

Someone had prepared you an omelet. 

**Author's Note:**

> Who are you? How did you get into my house? Why are you making me breakfast?
> 
> All of these questions and more, next time.


End file.
